Cartridge.



J. D. S. HASLETT.

i CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. ZZ, 1911.l 1,023,469. Patented Apr. 16,1912.

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Y ATTORNEY unirsi) srALriis PATENT onirica'.

JOI-IN D. S. I-IASLETT', OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARTRIDGE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN D. S. HASLETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridges, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.`

This invention relates to projectiles, generally, but is particularly directed to bullets of cartridges for the smaller firearms, such as rifles, pistols, etc.

The principal objects of this invention are, to provide a bullet of the mushroom type, which will flaringly spread uniformly at its forward end by impact with any resistive object struck thereby; and to provide a bullet which will tend to cut the outermost or tougher hide before expanding to an appreciable extent, whereby the least possible retarding effect of the hide is attained.

Other objects of this invention are, to provide a bullet having Ia relatively small elongated bore extending axially therein, with an expanding wedge which is prevented from accidental displacement by frictional engagement at its inner end with the walls of said bore; to provide a bullet with space for the free inward movement of the expanding wedge without reducing the weight of its forward end; to provide an expanding wedge whose inclined surfaces are free from retaining projections or recesses; and to provide an expanding wedge, no portion of which protrudes beyond the bullet body.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 22, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Serial No. 645,324.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side elevational view of the cartridge, showing the bullet projecting from the forward end of the shell in section, for convenience of illustration; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of said cartridge, taken through the bullet portion thereof on the line 2 2 in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the expanding wedge.

In said figures, the cartridge comprises the shell 5 of a common type, and the bullet 6 constructed in accordance with this invention. Said bullet is formed of a body 7 of ductile material, such as lead, which is incased in a jacket 9 extending forwardly and terminating short of the forward end 10 of said bullet body. The forward end of the bullet 6 is curvedly tapered and is provided with a bore 12 having a tapered countersunk orifice 13 terminating in a sharp cutlting edge 14, which is effective to cut a circular hole in the outer or tougher hide or surface of the animal or object struck by said bullet.

The `bullet 6 is provided with an expanding wedge of relatively hard material, which has a conical head 15 fitted in the countersunk orifice 13, and which is provided with a cylindrical shank 16 frictionally engaged in the elongated bore 12, said wedge being retained wholly at its inner end by the frictional engagement with the walls of said bore, which provide a space for its free inward movement.

It may be here noted that by the coperation of the shank 16 of the expanding wedge, and walls of the bore 12, said wedge is constrained to move axially into the space included between its inner end and the inner wall of said bore, independently of the angle at which an object is struck thereby, and therefore effects a uniform spreading of the bullet into mushroom form.

By reason of the fact that the expanding wedge has, a smooth conical head free from projections or recesses to resist its free movement when pressed inwardly by striking an object, it will be effective to slightly expand the surrounding metal to an extent sufficient to permit its slight inward movement before appreciably distorting said surrounding metal, thereby permitting the cutting wedgelt, while intact, to cut the outer or tougher portion of the object struck,

the further movement of the expanding wedge being effective to distort the forward end of the bullet, and to expand it into the form of a mushroom, having its outer portion recurved by the cooperative act-ion of said expanding wedge and the obj ect struck.

It may be observed that by first cutting the outer or tougher hide for the entrance of the bullet before distorting the cutting edge, the effective resistance of the tougher or outer hide is minimized, and therefore the momentum of the bullet is not unduly retarded in passing through the hide or tougher portion of the object struck.

It is not intended that this invention is to be limited to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A bullet comprising a body of flexible material tapered toward its forward end, and an expanding wedge of small diameter relative to said bullet composed of a rela tively harder material, comprising a conical head flush with the forward edge of said body converging into a substantially cylindrical shank extending into said bullet, and operative to be shifted into said bullet to expand the surrounding portion thereof after contact with an object struck.

2. A bullet comprising a body of ductile material, having a central bore of relatively small diameter terminating in a countersunk orifice at the forward end thereof, a jacket surrounding said bullet and terminating short of the forward end thereof, and an expanding wedge comprising a conical head flush with the forward end of said bullet, and a substantially cylindrical shank extended partly through said bore in frictional engagement with the walls thereof, to prevent its accidental displacement, and arranged to expand the portion of said bullet surrounding said wedge after contact with an obj ect struck.

3. A bullet comprising a body of ductile material, having a cylindrical bore of relatively small diameter provided with a countersunk orifice, and an expanding wedge comprising a conical head flush with the forward end of said body merging into a substantially cylindrical shank fitted to slide in said bore after contact with an object struck.

4. A bullet having a relatively small elongated cavity countersunk at the forward end and forminga cutting edge arranged to cut a hole in the object struckby said bullet, and a wedge disposed wholly within said cavity and comprising a conical lhead merging into a cylindrical shank extending partially through said cavity., said wedge being operative to expand the forward end of said bullet after said cutting edge has engaged the surface of the object struck.

5. A bullet comprising a cutting edge at its forward end, and an expanding wedge having a cylindrical portion and a coneshaped portion, the base of said latter portion being flush with the said cutting edge and the first mentioned portion extending in a recess provided in said bullet and frictionally maintained therein, said wedge being operative, at the moment of impact of said bullet upon the surface of an object at which it is red, to move slightly away from said object, to permit the said cutting edge to cut through the surface thereof, the further longitudinal movement of said wedge being operative to symmetrically expand said bullet within the interior of said object.

6. A bullet having a central bore countersunk at its forward end to form a cutting edge, arranged to cut a hole through the surface of the object struck, and a wedge comprising a conical head free from shoulders and merging into a relatively small cylindrical shank disposed in said bore, and arranged to be held inert in said bore until after said cutting edge has engaged the surface of the object struck and then to expand the forward end of said bullet.

7. A bullet comprising a body of ductile material and having at its forward end an expanding wedge of relatively harder material comprising an enlarged head having the form of a truncated cone and a substantially cylindrical shank of small diameter relative to said body, in frictional engagement with the walls of a cavity in said body to prevent the accidental displacement of said wedge.

8. A bullet comprising a body having a cutting edge, and an expanding wedge in the forward part of said body comprising an enlarged portion having its forward face flush with said cutting edge and a smaller, substantially cylindrical portion extending within a cavity in said bullet and frictionally maintained therein.

9. A bullet comprising a body of ductile material having a cutting edge, and an expanding wedge of relatively harder material located in the forward part of said body and comprising an enlarged portion in substantially the form of a truncated cone having its face flush with said cutting edge, and a smaller substantially cylindrical port-ion extending within a cavity in said body and frict-ionally maintained therein.

10. A bullet comprising a body of ductile material having a cutting edge, and an eX- panding wedge of relatively harder material located in the forward part of said body and comprising an enlarged portion having the form of a truncated cone with its face ush with said cutting edge, and a smaller substantially cylindrical portion extending longitudinally Within a suitable cavity Within said body, Jche Walls of said cavity and 5 the surface of the smaller portion of said Wedge being in frictional engagement to maintain said Wedge Within said body,

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of August, A. D.

JAY R. GRIER, CLIFTON C. HALLOWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

